Control mechanism for wringer rolls of a washing machine



`Iuly 6, 1937. P. E. GELDHOF CONTROL;K MECHANISM FOR WRINGER ROLLS OF-AWASHING MACHINE Filed NOV. 27, 1933 a 2 z w JM/vk w 4 7.3M M U .n .M m f7 K2/w ou lill 2 l H WN I] n f ,am f 2` m z.. w, m, m z O 7 *L /lwf/vron.

rra nueva July 6, 1937. P. E. GELDHOF CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRINGERROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l ldTTRNEYS July 6, 1937w CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRlNGER ROLLS OF A WASHINGMACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 27, 1933 2 0 Hm M .om s u ,771 /z MY 7 s r m 9 N. w M E M M N Y l 9 7 f m 0 0./ m 9 M H A 4M l M M PatentedJuly 6, 1937 PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRINGEB ROLLS F AWASHING MACHINE Peter Eduard Geldhof, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to EasyWashing Machine Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation oi.'Delaware Application November 27, 1933,'ser1a1N0. 699,938

, 10 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful im-v a drive mechanism for therolls of a wringerv whereby the starting, stopping and reversing of thedirection of rotation o! the rolls may be accomplished with but slightphysical effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roll wringer with meanscontrolled by the conventional safety roll release device fordisconnecting the wringer rolls with the drive mechanlsm whereby therolls will cease torotate when the rolls are released from pressureengagement. l5 In carrying out the above-mentioned objects, I haveprovided a drive mechanism for a roll wringer device comprising a driveshaft, two drive pinions arranged in opposed relation for driving therolls inreverse directions and a planetary gear system for operablyconnecting each of said gears with the drive shaft. The planetary gearsystems include control means whereby the operation thereof may begoverned with a mini- I mum amount of physical effort. This control 25means includes a power-operated means for controlling the operation ofthe planetary gear systems as well as means for manually controllingthese systems. Each of these instrumentalities may be operatedindependently of the other and are so constructed and arranged that theymay be manually manipulated with the fingertips and with equal ease fromboth sides of the wringer.

Further, I have provided means whereby the action of the drive mechanismupon the wringer 3;, rolls is automatically discontinued when the rollsare released from pressure engagement.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the details of the structureand the form and relation of the parts thereof will more vreadily`appear from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is .a side elevation of a roll wringer embodying the variousfeatures of this invention, together with'a portion of the upper end ofa 4.-, washing machine vat, with parts thereof broken l,

away and shown in section. y

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional 5o view illustratingthe manner of connecting one end of the wringer head with the side ofthe wringer frame..

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken through thegear case and adjacent end portion of the wringer.

(Cl. (iS- 32) Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are detail horizontal sectionalviews taken respectively in the plane of the lines 5 5, 6 6, 1 1, 8 8,and 9 9, Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view taken on line I0 I0, Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line Il I I,Figure 8. As illustrated in the drawings, my improved device comprses awringer I secured at one side t0 a transmission case 2 which embodiessubstan- 10 tially all of the mechanism comprising my invention. 'Ihecase 2 is mounted upon the upper end of a tubular drive shaft housing 3adapted to contain the usual drive shaft 4. The housing I may beconnected at its lower end to the frame 15 (not shown) of the washingmachine in any wellknown manner, and as illustrated more particularly inFigure 1, has the upper end thereof secured to the washing machine vat 5by a bracket 6.

The wringer I is of a conventional type comprising a pair of rollers 1and 8 mounted one upon the other in the frame. The wringer frame iscomposed, in this instance, of sheet metal stampings and comprises twovertically disposed end members 9 and IU substantially U-shaped incross-section and which are tied together at their lower ends by asuitable cross member II.

An upper cross member or head I2, also of substantially U-shapedformation, is mounted upon the upper end of the end members 9 and I0 andis detachably connected at one end with one of the end members as 9 by acatch arrangement indicated at I3 in the manner shown more clearly inFigure 3. The other end of the head I2 is pivotally connected by a boltI4, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, to the upper end of a U-shaped lock bar I5 positioned in the end member III and which isdesigned to releasably secure the head in place in a manner hereinaftermore fully explained. 40

The rollers 1 and 8 are mounted in the usual manner in bearings providedin the end members 9 and Ili, and as shown in Figure 4, one of thebearings as I1 for the lower roll 1 is mounted in a swinging bracket I8supported on a transverse rod I8 mounted in the frame end I0 above theshaft of said roll. 'I'he upper roll is yieldingly pressed intoengagement with the lower roll with greater or less pressure, asdetermined by a. pressure spring 2| which extends longitudinally throughthe head I2, with the ends thereof resting upon the bearing for theupper roll and a tension screw 26 screw-threaded in the head I2intermediate the ends thereof, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4.

The wringer I is secured. to the case 2 by a pair of screws 21 whichpass through registering holes formed in a contracted portion of thecase 2 and a pair of outwardly bent flanges 28 formed upon the wringerframe end I0 (see Figures 4, 5, and '1). The case 2 is comprised of asubstantially rectangular box-like body member 38 having the upper andlower sides thereof open, and end caps 3| and 32 secured in anywellknown manner as by screws 33 to the upper and lower sidesrespectively of the body 38.

As hereinbefore stated, the case 2 is mounted upon the upper end of thetubular housing 3, and for this purpose, the lower end cap 32 isprovided with a pendent boss 34 provided with a shaft opening 35 whichrotatably receives the upper end of the tubular housing 3. The downwardmovement of the case 2 upon the housing 3 is limited by the lower end ofthe'boss 34 abutting against an outwardly extending annular flange 3provided near the upper endof the housing 3 adjacent the upper side ofthe bracket 6.

It will now be observedthat the case 2 and wringer are rotatablysupported by the housing 3 inv a plane above the washer vat 5 in such amanner that the wringer may be readily swung in a horizontal plane aboutthe housing 3 as a pivot from a position over the vat 5 to anyone of aplurality of predetermined positions at one side of the vat. The caseand wringer may be releasably secured in the adjusted position by anysuitable means as the spring-actuated lock pin 31 mounted on the boss 34for engagement with a selected one of a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced holes 38 provided in the upper end portion of the housing 3.

The hereinbefore-mentioned drive shaft 4 may consist, as shown in Figure1, of two parts, a lower section 48 which may be driven in theconventional manner from the motor (not shown) usually mounted beneaththe Washer vat 5 for operating the washing mechanism, and an uppersection 4| which is releasablyvconnected at its lower end with the upperend of the lower section 48 by a pin and slot arrangement, as indicatedat 42, Figure 1. The drive shaft section 4| extends upwardly into thecase 2, as shown in Figure 4, and is journaled at its upper end in ahollow boss 44 provided on the end cap 3| in a manner presentlydescribed, while the lower end portion of the shaft is journaled in abearing member 45 secured to the lower cap 32 so that the Wringer caseZ'andfth'e mechanism mounted in the case including the shaft section 4|,may be readily removed from the housing 3' by a vertical movementthereof after the lock pin 31 has been withdrawn from holding engagementwith the housing 3.

Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 4| is a pair of opposed beveled pinions41 arranged in longitudinal spaced relation and which are in constantmesh with a beveled gear 48 journaled in the case 2. The manner ofmounting the gear 48 in the case 2 consists, in this'instance,

in providing the gear with an extended hollowhub'49 and rotatablymounting the same in a hollow boss 58 provided ina vertical Wall orpartition 5| formed in the case body 30. gear 48 is operably connectedwith the lower roll 1 for driving the same by means of a flexible drivecoupling 52 positioned in the gear hub 49 and which has a pin and slotconnection as at 53 and 54 With the lower roll shaft 20 'and the gear 48respectively. It will be noted that'l this TheA particular connectionbetween the gear 48 and the roll 1 not only permits relative lateralmovement, within limits, of the roll and gear, but provides for theready removal of the wringer from the housing 2.

Each of the pinions 41 has associated therewith a planetary gear systemwhich comprises a composite member or housing 56 'rotatably mounted onthe shaft 4| adjacent the outer face of-a respective pinion 41. 'Iheupper housing 56 is journaled, as shown in FigureA 4,' in the bearingboss 44 and rotatably supports the upper end of the shaft 4|. Withineach housing 58 is an epicyclic gear train consisting of a central gear51 splined to the shaft 4| to be rotated thereby, a plurality of, inthis instance three, pinions 58 rotatably mounted on studs 59 secured tothel respective pinion 41 in uniform circumferential spaced relation andan internal gear 60 made integral with or" secured to the correspondinghousing member 56. The pinions. 58 of each train are in constant meshwith the central gear 51 and the internal gear 80.

In order that motion may be transmitted'lfrom the drive shaft 4| to thepinions 41 through the respective planetary gear system, I employ asim'- ple clutch control mechanism for releasably maintaining one or theother of the internal gear members 6|) againstI rotary movement.. Thisplurality of clutch teeth 62 on the periphery thereof and a pair ofpawls 63 and 64, one for each housing. These pawls are secured to avertically disposed rock shaft 65 which extends through the case body 30adjacent theo'uter end thereof and is journaled at its ends in the endcaps 3| and 32, as shown in Figure 4.vv These pawls 63 and 64 extendfrom opposite sids'of the rock shaft 65 4so that one of the 'pawls asthe upper pawl 63 is an abutting pawl and the other pawl as 64 a catchpawl. and these pawls are so related to each other and to the housings56 that by oscillatingthe shaft 65, the pawls maybe brought alternatelyinto holding engagement withthe housings. 1

In order` that the pawls 63'and 64 may be'quickly and positivelyoperated with vvery little physical effort for controlling the operationof the planetary gear systems, I have devised means whereby the shaft 65may be oscillated by a man- A -vmeans for manually operating thesemembers di'- rectly: This llatter means consists, in this instance, of ahorizontally disposed rock plate 61 which, as illustrated in Figures'4and 5, is mounted on the upper end cap 3| and is secured at' one end tothe upper end of the shaft 65, as illustrated at 68. The plate extendsinwardly from the shaft 65 and has an aperture 69 adapted to receivetherethrough the bearing boss 44, said aperture being of suiicient sizeto permit the required swinging movement of the plate 61 to oscillatethe shaft 65.

The inner end of the arm 61 is provided with :an inwardly extending slot10 arranged in symmetrical relation with the plate-*and adapted toreceive therein an outwardly' extending'lug or flange 1| provided at thecenter of a. horizon'- tfally disposed control rod 12. -"I'his'-co ntro1rod 12 is positioned at the upperI end of the case-2 'a short distance`vfrom' the adjacent end of thel cap 3|, with the outer ends thereofextending beyond the side walls of the case 2.

The outer ends of the rod are each provided with a finger-piece 13 bywhich the rod may be 5 reciprocated in either direction from either sideof the case. A U-shaped stop member 14 is secured to the adjacentportion of the cap 3| as by screws 15, with the ends of the legs or sidemembers thereof arranged in the path of movement of the flange 1| forlimitingthe inward movement of the control rod 12 in either direction.

The hereinbefore-mentioned power operated means for oscillating theshaft 65 consists, in this instance, of a bifurcated neutralizing arm 11`15 which, as shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 9,

is mounted in a horizontal plane in the lower end cap 32 and has one endthereof secured as at 18 to the adjacent portion of the shaft 65. Thisneutralizing arm 11 extends inwardly from the 2o shaft 65 andhas theforked ends as 11' of the inner end thereof arranged one at either sideof the shaft 4| in spaced relation thereto to permit the requiredswinging movement of the arm.

In order that the neutralizing arm 11 may be swung about the axis of theshaft 65 as a pivot by power means, I have provided a clutch member as80 mounted on the shaft 4| between the lower housing 56 and the bearingmember 45. This clutch member is comprised of a ratchet collar 8| whichissplined to the shaft 4| adjacent the lower end of the lower housing 56to be driven by the shaft. A clutch plate 82 is loosely mounted on theshaft 4| between the clutch collar 80 and the bearing member 45. Theclutch plate 82, in this instance, is circular in plan view and has theperipheral edge thereof provided with a groove 83 which receives one endportion of a spring member 84 which has the other end thereof secured tothe lower cap 32 by means of a bolt 85. 'I'he spring 84 is tensionedinwardly toward the clutch plate 82 for yieldingly engaging said plateand frictionally maintaining the same against rotary movement.

In order that the plate 82 may be driven by the ratchet collar 80, Ihave provided a pawl 81 which is slidably mounted in a radiallyextending slot 88 provided in the upper surface of the plate 82 formovement into and out of engagement with a plurality of, in thisinstance four, circumferentially spaced teeth 8 I provided on the clutchcollar 8|. An arcuate actuating arm 90 is pivotally mounted intermediateits ends as at 9| to the clutch plate 82 in spaced relation to the slot88 so that one side of the arm 90 will extend across the pawl 81.

The ends of the arm 90 terminate at substantially diametrically oppositesides of the clutch plate 82 and are provided with a lateral projectionor abutment member 93 and 94 respectively which extends upwardly abovethe clutch plate 82. l'I'he pawl 81 is provided with an .elongated slotas 81' in the upper face thereof adapted to receive the adjacent portionof the control arm 90. This slot 81' is of somewhat greater length thanthe width of that portion of the arm 90 contained therein to permit alimited amount of lost motion ofr said arm in said slot for a purposewhich will hereinafter more readily appear.

The end of the arm mounted in the slot 81 v-7n is yieldingly urgedinwardly toward the clutch collar 8| by means of a tension spring 96which has one end hooked into the abutment member 93 and the other endsecured to the plate 82 as at 91. It is now obvious thatthe spring 96acting '72, upon the arm 90 to rock that side of the arm adjacent thepawl 81 inwardly about the pivot 9| normally causes said arm to maintainthe pawl in clutching engagement with the ratchet collar 8|. In order tocause the pawl to be moved' out of clutching engagement with4 theratchet collar, 5 I have provided a detent 98 positioned in a slot 32'provided in the lower cap 32 at the inner end thereof. The detent 98 ispivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a pin or rod 99 mounted inthe lower cap 32 with one end of the detent 'I0 as 98' positioned formovement into and out of the path of movement of the abutment members 93and 94 on the actuating arm 90.

The end 98' of the detent 98 is yieldingly urged downwardly into thepath of the abutment mem- 15 bers 93 and 94 by a helical spring |00secured at one end to the detent and having the other end secured to thewall 5| of the case as at |0|. The downward movement of the end 98 ofthe detent is limited by a horizontally disposed con- 20 trol rod |04which extends transversely through the lower cap 32, with the endsthereof terminating outside said cap.

The control rod |04 is mounted for sliding movement in guide openingsformed in the side 25 walls of the cap 32 and in a pair of spacedinwardly extending lugs |05 formed integral with the cap 32 and arrangedone at either side of the slot 32' (see Figures 8 and 10). The controlrod |04 is provided with a cam section substantially 30 midway betweenits ends and which consists of a pair of opposed axially spacedoutwardly tapered or conical cam surfaces |06 which are connected by an'intermediate flat or cylindrical surface |01. The rod is yieldinglymaintained in the nor- 35 mal position with the intermediate surface |01in alignment with the detent 98 by a pair of relatively lightcompression springs |09 mounted on the rod one at 'either side of thelugs |05 between a respective lug and a washer |0 which abuts 40 againsta shoulder I formed on the rod at a corresponding end portion thereof.lThe intermediate surface |01 is so proportioned that when the controlrod is in the normal position, said surface will be engaged-by thedetent 98 and"'co 45 act with the spring |00 for maintaining the detentin the path of movement of the end flanges or abutment members 93 and 94of the clutch con-v trol arm '90, and obviously, when the control rod 1|04 is moved axially in either direction from the 50 normal position,the detent will be rocked against the action of the spring |00 out ofthe path of y movement of the arm 90 by the corresponding cam surface|06.

It will now be readily understood that when the 55 shaft 4| and clutchcollar 8| are rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated byarrow X in Figure 8 and the clutch control arm 90 is positioned asillustrated by full lines in said gure, with the pawl 81 out ofclutching engage- 00 ment with the clutch collar 8|, as soon as theactuating arm 90 is released by the movement of the detent 98 out ofengagement with one of the abutment members as 83, the pawl-engaging endof said arm will be drawn inwardly by the spring 6'5 96 and the pawl 81will be moved thereby into clutching engagement with the ratchet collarafter which the clutch plate 82 and arm'90 will be driven by the ratchetcollar. This movement of the clutch elements in unison will continue '7buntil an object, asvthe detent 98, appears in the path of one or theother of the abutment members 93 or 94 to interrupt the rotation of theactuating arm. As the end of the arm is thus held by the detent, thecontinued rotation of the clutch *15 plate 02 will cause thepawl-engaging end of the arm 90 to swing outwardly against the action ofthe spring 96 and withdraw the pawl from engagement with the clutchcollar. The instant the driving connection is broken between the pawland ratchet collar, the clutch plate will stop rotation and bemaintained against any rearward movement which might otherwise beproduced by the actlonof the spring 96 by the drag produced by thespring member 84.

In order that the pawl 81 will be moved out of the path of movement ofthe teeth 8| of the ratchet collar 8| after the driving connectionbetween the pawl and said collar is broken, the

inner end as 81" of the pawl is made flat and arranged normal to thelongitudinal axis of the pawl so that inasmuch as the rotary movement ofthe pawl and plate 82 is discontinued the instant the rear side or edgeof the pawl i's out of contact with the driving front face of the tooth,the outer peripheral face of the tooth during the continued rotation ofthe collar will engage the centerof the end 81" of the pawl and causesaid pawl to move radially outwardly a slight distance independently ofthe actuating arm 90 which action is permitted due to the fact that thepawl slot 81' is of greater length than the width of the adjacentportion of the arm 90.

The manner of transmitting motion from the clutch member 80 to theneutralizing Aarm 11 consists in providing the clutch plate 82 with acam member ||3 arranged at the underside of the plate in the plane ofthe inner end of the neutralizing arm 11. This cam ||3 is an oblongmember arranged symmetrically with the clutch plate and having thelongitudinal axis thereof normally lying in the vertical plane passingthrough the shafts 4| andl 65 when the clutch plate is held in thestationary or at-rest position by the detent 98, as illustrated inFigure 9. The relation of the cam 3 and theY forked ends 11 of theneutralizing arm is such that the arm is free to swing in eitherdirection a sufllclent distance to permit the corresponding pawl 68 or64 to engage the respective housing 56 when the clutch is in the at-restposition and the cam will engage the forked ends 11 and restore theneutralizing arm to the neutral position during one-half revolution of.the cam and clutch plate.

The hereinbefore-mentioned means for automatically controlling therotation of the wringer rolls as the pressure lon the rolls is released,may consist of any suitable means for operatively connecting the clutchmechanism 80v with the pressure-release mechanism incorporated in thewringer mechanism, and for this purpose, I have illustrated a well-knowntype of safety control mechanism for the wringer rolls which is readilyadapted to control the operation of the clutch 80 and which is moreclearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 8. Briefly, this safetymechanism consists of the hereinbeforementned U-shaped lock bar I5 whichextends down ardly through the wringer frame end I0 from the pivot I4between the rod I9 and a similarly disposed rod I I5, with the lowertransverse portion ||6 of the bar positioned near the bottom of. thewringer frame.

Each vertical arm as ||1 of the lock bar has a longitudinal slot ||8 ina vertical edge thereof for receiving ythe pin I9 therein and a cam face9 in the opposite edge adapted to engage the rod |I5 as the lock bar I5is moved downwardly to the lowermost position to produce a swinging 75movement of the bar toward the rod I9 so that y er end thereof.

`A substantially horizontally disposed catch plate |20 is pivotallymounted at one end as at |2| to the cross member of the wringer frame inspaced relation tothe lock bar I5. 'I'he other lor free end of the catchplate extends beneath the transverse portion ||6 of the lock bar and isyieldingly maintained in contact therewith by a compression spring |22mounted on a guide rod |23 which is connected with the latch plate andcross member for also limiting the upward movement of thecatch plate.The catch plate |20 is provided with upwardly extending flanges |24adjacent each longitudinal side thereof adapted when the plate is in itsuppermost position in contact with the transverse portion I I6 of thelock bar, to abut against the inner side of said transverse portion andprevent inward swinging movement of the lock bar.

The catch plate |20 is moved downwardly against the action of the spring|22 by one or the other of a pair of safety release `bars |26. Thesebars are U-shaped members, as illustrated in Figure 1, arranged oneadjacent either side of the wringer frame and have the legs thereofpivotal- 1y connected to said frame as at |21, while one of the legs ofeach bar, as |26', is extended inwardly from the pivot |21 over the'topof the catch plate flanges |24, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. g

The extensions |26' are so related to the side members of the respectivesafety release bar |26 that when the catch plate |20 is in its uppermostposition in engagement with the lock bar I5, the upper or transverseside of the safety release bars will be maintained in spaced relation tothe wringer framelso that a slight inward pressure on either one of therelease bars will rock the catch plate |20 downwardly out of holdingengagement with the lock bar I5.

As the catch plate I 20 releases the lower end of. the lock bar, saidlock bar will then be caused to swing inwardly out of holding engagementwith the rod I9 due to the action of the pressure spring 24 and therebypermit the upward movement of the lock bar and head I2, and release thetension of said spring upon the upper roll 8.

The downward movement of the catch plate |20 to release the lock barA I5is utilized for actuating the detent 98 to bring the same out of holdingengagement with the abutment members on the clutch actuating arm 90. Inorder to effect this action of the detent 98, said detent is extendedrearwardly from the pivot 99 as at 98- to a position beneath the freeend of the catch plate 20, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4.

It will now be readily understood that when the lock bar I5 ismaintained in its lowermost holding position beneath the rod I9 by thecatch plate |20, as illustrated in Figure 4 and the desired pressure ismaintained upon the upperv roll 8 through the medium of tension screw 26and spring 24, the rolls 1 and 8 may be rotated in either of twodirections by the drive shaft 4 through the medium of one or the otherof the planetary gear systems by manually-manipulating the u'ppercontrol rod 12 to bring one or the other of the pawls 63 or 64 intoholding engagement with the corresponding housing 56 depending upon thedesired direction of rotation of the wringer rolls.

plished with slight physical effort by merely pressing the control rod|04 inwardly against the action of a spring |09 which may be effectedfrom either side of the case 2 to move the detent 38 upwardly out ofholding engagement with one or theother of the abutting members of theclutch actuating arm 90.

As the detent releases said arm, the clutch will be engaged by theaction of thespring 96 inthe manner hereinbefore-described so that theclutch plate 82 and the cam 3 will be driven by the ,shan 4|.. As theclutch plate 82 begins rotation, the cam member I I3 will engage theneutralizing arm 11 which will have been swung to one side or the otherof vthe, normal position vas a pawl 63 or 64 is brought into holdingengagement with the corresponding housing and restore said neutralizingarm and the/pawls 63 and 64 to the neutral position and therebydiscontinue any drive action of the planetary gear systems upon thewringer rolls 1 and 8 by permitting the free rotary movement of thehousing members 56.

As the clutch actuating arm 90 is provided with abutment members at eachend thereof, it is obvious that the clutch plate 82 will make butone-half of a revolution when said plate will come to an at-restposition due to the engagement of the detent 98 with the .approachingabutment member so that the cam H3 will normally lie with its longeraxis in the vertical plane passing between the drive shaft section 4|and the control shaft 65 and thereby permit the free rocking movement ofthe neutralizing arm 11 when it is Aagain desired to move one or theother oi' the pawls 63 or 64 into clutching ensagement with acorresponding planetary gear housing 56.

It will also be obvious that the pawl 63 or 64 will be as readilyreturned from clutching engagement with a corresponding housing 56 tothe neutral position by pressure upon one or the other of the safetyrelease bars |26 due to the action of the clutch plate upon the detent30 in the manner hereinbefore described, and although I have shown andparticularly described the preferred embodiment. of my invention, I donot wish to be limited to the exact construction shown as variouschanges in the form and relation of the parts thereof may readily bemade, without departing from the spirit of this invention as set forthin the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a roll wringer mechanism for a washing machine, means for drivingthe rolls of said mechanism comprising, a drive shaft, mechanical meansfor transmitting motion from the drive shaft to said rolls including .apair of planetary gear systems, clutch means for selectively controllingthe operation of said gear systems for rotating the rolls in reversedirections, and manually controlled means adapted to be driven by thedrive shaft for operating the clutch means. 2. In a roll wringermechanism for a washing machine, means for driving the rolls of saidmechanism comprising a drive shaft, mechanical means for transmittingmotionlfrom the drive shaft to said rolls including a pair of planetarygear systems, manually operated clutch means for selectively controllingthe operation of said gear systems for rotating the rolls in reversedirections, power driven cam means connected with the clutch means foroperating said clutch means, and manually controlled meansv assoelatedwith the cam for operatively connecting the cam to the shaft to electthe operation thereof.

3. In a roll wringer mechanism for a washing machine, means for driving'the rolls of said mechanism comprising a drive shaft, mechanical lmeans for transmitting motion from the drive shaft to said rollsincluding a pair of planetary gear systems, clutch means associated witheach gear system, means for manually controlling the operation of theclutch means for selectively effecting the rotation of the rolls ineither of two directions, and manually controlled power-operated meansassociated with the clutch means lwhereby the drive action of said shafton the rolls is discontinued.

4. In a roll wringer mechanism for a washing machine, means for drivingthe rolls of said mechanism comprising means for holding the rolls inpressure engagement, a drive shaft, mechanical means for transmittingmotion from the drive shaft to said rollsA including a pair of planetarygear systems, clutch means associated with each gear system, means formanually controlling the operation of the clutch means for selectivelyeffecting rotation of the rolls in either of two directions, means forreleasing the rolls from pressure engagement, and power-operated meansassociated with the clutch means and actuated upon operation of thepressure releasing means for discontinuing the action of the drive shafton the rolls.

5. In a roll wringer mechanism having means for releasably holding therolls in pressure engagement and a drive shaft, means including a pairof planetary gear systems associated with the drive shaft for rotatingthe rolls in reverse directions, and power-operated means adapted to bedriven by the drive shaft and actuated upon operation of the pressurereleasing means for automatically rendering the planetary gear systemsinoperative.

6.- In a roll wringer mechanism for a washing machine, means for holdingthe rolls in pressure engagement, a drive shaft, means including a pairof planetary gear systems associated with the drive shaft for rotatingthe rolls in reverse directions, means for releasing the rolls frompressure engagement, power-operated means adapted to be driven by thedrive shaft and actuated upon operation of the pressure releasing meansfor automatically rendering the planetary gear systems inoperative, andseparate manually operated control means for governing the action of thepower operated means independently of the pressure release means.

7. The combination with a safety device for the pressure rolls of awringer mechanism, of a driving and reversing mechanism for said rolls,said mechanism comprising a pair of planetary gear systems and a driveshaft for rotating said gear systems, manually operated means forselectively connecting said drive shaft with either of said gearsystems, means for applying the power of the drive shaft to either ofsaid planetary gear systems to render them inoperative and stop rotationof the rolls, and means operated upon actuation of the safety device foroperating said power applying means.

8. The combination with a safety device for the rolls of aWringermechanism of a. driving and reversing 'mechanism for said rolls,said mechanism comprising a pair of planetary gear systems and a driveshaft for operating said gear systems, a control member extendingbetween said planetary gear systems, manually operated means for movingsaid control member to al position in engagement with either of saidplanetary gear systems to enable rotation of the rolls in eitherdirection, and means for moving said control member out of engagementwith either of said planetary gear systems to stop the rotation of saidrolls, said means comprising means actuated upon operation of saidsafety device.

9. The combination with a safety device for the pressure rolls of awringer mechanism, of a driving and reversing mechanism for said rolls.'

said mechanism comprising a pair of planetary gear systems and a driveshaft for operating said gear systems, a control member extendingbetween said planetary gear systems, manually operated means for movingsaid control member to a. position in engagement with either of saidplanetary gear systems to enable rotation of the rolls in eitherdirection, means for applying the power of the drive shaft for movingsaid control member out of engagement with either of said planetary gearsystems to stop the rotation of the rolls, said means comprising meansactuated upon operation of said safety device.

10. The combination with a safety device for the pressure rolls of awringer mechanism. of a driving and reversing mechanism for said rolls,said mechanism comprising a pair of Vplanetary gear systems and a driveshaft for operating said gear systems, a control member extendingbetween said Dlanetary gear system, manually operated means for movingsaid control member to a position in engagement with either of saidplanetary gear systems to enable the rotation of the rolls in eitherdirection, means for applying the power` of the drive shaft for movingsaid control member out of engagement with either of said planetary gearsystems to stop the rotation of the rolls. and manually operated meansfor operating said power applying means.

v PETER EDUARD GELDHOF.

